Newspaper dispensing apparatus



Dec. 9, 1947. L. HATCHER ET AL NEWSPAPER DISPENSING APPARATUS Filed Feb.27, 1945' 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 5 5 b D 5 5 5 5 5 Hb Ill? IT Lazzi@ ,/Yaczef@eel WjYdZckev INVENTORS.

` Dec' 9, 1947 L. HATcHL-:R ETAL 2,432,415

NEWSPAPER DISPENSING APPARATUS l INVENTRS. 7,7'2 n y Dec. 9, 1947. i LHATCHER ET. AL 274323115 NEWSPAPER DISPENSING APPARATUS Filed Feb.2?,.1945 3 sheets-sheet s s N ai@ INVENToRs. Clieel @m11 Patented Dec.9, 1 947 UNITED STATES PATENT oFFIcE NEWSPAPER DISPENSING APPARATUSLou's Hatcher, Washington, D.` C., and' Creel W. Hatcher, Valley Forge,Pa.

l This invention relates to apparatus designed primarily for dispensingnewspapers although it isto be understood that it can be used fordispensing other items such as magazines, pamphlets, and the like.

It is an object of the invention to provide an apparatus which can becheck controlled and which, when actuated, will operate to remove onenewspaper or the like from a magazine and deliver the same to thecustomer.

Another object is to provide new means by which the engaged article canbe dispensed without regard to its thickness and which willautomatically reset itself after each delivery operation.

With the foregoing and other objects in View which will appear as thedescription proceeds, the invention consists of certain novel details ofconstruction and combinations of parts'hereinai'ter more fully describedand pointed out in the claims, it being understood that changes may bemade in the construction and arrangement of parts without departing fromthe spirit of the invention as claimed.

In the accompanying drawings the preferred form of the invention hasbeen shown.

In said drawings Figure 1 is a vertical longitudinal section through theapparatus, the same being shown provided with a supply of newspapers orthe like to be dispensed.

Figure 2 is an enlarged side elevation of the dispensing mechanism andillustrating various positions assumed by the article engaging portionof the apparatus during the operation of picking up and delivering anarticle.

Figure 3 is a View partly in elevation and partly in transverse sectionshowing a portion of the magazine and adjacent parts, portions beingbroken away.

Referring to the fiW res by characters of reference I designates acasingformed of any desired material and provided with a partition 2 which caninclude longitudinal and end supporting strips 3 on which are mountedfloor lates i1 spaced apart at their inner edges to provide a slot 5extending longitudinally of the partition. The casing I and partition 2cooperate to form. a magazine or chamber for holding newspapers A or thelike to be dispensed. A guide rod 5 is located beneath the slot 5 and isfixedly connected at its ends to the frame formed by the strips 3 andslidably mounted on this rod is a sleeve 'I having a lug 8v extendedupwardly therefrom through the` slot 5. A follower y particularly inFig. 1.

9 is hingedly connected to the lug and is normally supported in anupwardly and rearwardly inclined position by a stop arm I0 extended fromthe sleeve I and through the slot 5 as shown A coiled spring II ismounted on rod 6 and asserts a constant thrust against sleeve 1 so that,in the absence of anyY blocking means, said sleeve and the followerconnected thereto will be positioned at the front or delivery end of thepartition.

The partition 2- terminates backwardly from the inclined front wall I2of the casing and this front wall constitutes the front of a chute I3which extends throughout the width of the partition and downwardly fromsaid partition to a trough I4 at the lower end of the chute. This chuteconstitutes the outlet for merchandise dispensed by the machine.

A stopy flange I5 is extended above the partition for a short` distanceand is preferably in line with the back wall I6 of chute I3. Extendedinto the chute from the lower portion of this flange and below thelevell of the `top of the stop flange I5 are upwardly and forwardlycurved fingers I'I which can be widely spaced. Any desired number ofthese ngers can be used and they cooperate with the top` flange to forma supplemental catching device as hereinafter explained. The front wallI2 of the chute is provided on its back surface and above the level offlange I5 and fingers I'I with a stripping plate I8 which can be angularin cross section and extends throughout the width of the interior of thechute, this plate overhanging a portion of the chute as shown.

A shaft I9` is journaled within the casing I and` is adapted to bedriven by worm gearing 2i) receiving motion from an electric motor M orother suitable source of power. This motor can be started and stopped byany suitable mechanism which can be check controlled if desired. A crankarm 2l is connected to each end portion of shaft I9 so as to rotatetherewith and it is intended that, during the operation of theapparatus, one article will be dispensed during each complete rotationof shaft i9., This shaft is normally positioned with the crank arms 2lextended forwardly in substantially horizontal positions and both of thecrank arms are pivotally connected at 22 to the lower ends of the sidesof a dispensing means including a frame 23. The top of this'frame isformed of a connecting bar 24 which is held detachably to the sides ofthe frame in any suitable manner, as by means of spring clips or tongues25. The

bar can be provided with flattened ends 26 (see Figure 2) which are indetachable engagement With the sides of the frame but fit snugly in saidthe frame 23 is operated in the manner herein- I after described. Morethan two sets of needles can be used. For example, a second set ofneedles 28 can be extended from the bar in a direction opposite to theneedles 2l and one set of needles can be longer than the other so as toadapt the apparatus for use in dispensing articles Widely differing inthickness by adjusting bar 24.

At a point between the ends of each side bar of frame 23 there isprovided a fulcrum element including a yoke 29 pivotally supported atthe center by a pin 3o mounted in a depending bracket 38 secured toframe 3. A rod 3| is mounted for reciprocaton within each yoke and has aguide block 32 iixedly positioned on an intermediate portion thereof.The side bar of frame 23 nearest each yoke is slidable longitudinally inthe block 32 carried by the yoke and springs 33 are mounted on rod 3lbetween block 32 and the ends of yoke 23 so as to urge the block 32normally toward the center of the yoke. Thus the frame is free also toslide transversely with the rods 3|, such movement being restrained bythe springs. It is to be understood that the parts are so located andproportioned that when a horizontal stack of newspapers or the like,indicated at A, is positioned between flange I and the follower 3, thespring II will be held under compression and obviously the degree ofcompression will increase in proportion to the length of the stack. Itis. to be understood that the newspapers or the like when placed on thepartition plates 4 and back of the ange I5 will have their foldslowermost. When at the point of starting, the dispensing mechanism ispositioned with its bar 2d located at point a in Fig. 2. When thenewspaper is to be dispensed the gearing 23 is set in motion by checkcontrolled means such as moto-r Mor the like and will cause the cranks2| to make one complete rotation from the point X in the directionindicated by the arrow in Fig. 2. During the rst part of this rotationthe lower end of the frame 23 will swing toward the right in Figure 2along a short arcuate path past the axis of the shaft I9. Since theframe 23, intermediate its upper and lower ends, passes through theblocks 32 of the fulcrum elements, the short swinging movement of thelower end lof the frame will produce a swinging movement of the bar 24at thefupperend, but in the opposite direction. In other words the bar2li will move from position a across the chute to position b and causethe needles to drive into the first newspaper in the magazine. The barwill then move in an upward direction until it reaches position c.YDuring this time the forward springsv 33 have been placed undercompression because of the pressure exerted thereagainst by the sidebars of frame under the action of the crank arms 2|. The engagednewspaper will be slid upwardly by the needles until the bottom or foldportion has risen well above the flange I5. As bar 24 reaches .positionc the cranks 2| move toward the vertical center of shaft I9 with theresult that the front springs 33 which previously had been placed undercompression will expand as thrust blocks 32 are moved to positionssubstantially at the centers of the yokes 29 where the two Springs 33are equalized. While the blocks are thus located the crank arms 2| willcontinue their counter-clockwise movement and when said cranks move tothe left in Figure 2 over the axis of rotation of shaft I9, the bar 24will travel in an arcuate path in a direction op- VV.posite to the pathtraveled by the cranks and move from position c to position d. Thismovement will continue as the crank arms travel toward the left in Fig.2. During such movement the Vpins yon which the rst newspaper or thelike is impaled will carry the same forwardly within the chute I3 untilthe bar comes into contact with the stripping plate |8. Furthercounter-clockwise movement of crank arms 2| will pull the frame 23downwardly from position d to position e and this operation will resultin placing the rear springs 33 under compression. As continuedcounter-clockwise movement of the crank arms takes place, bar 24 will bepulled to a position below the stripping plate I8 whereupon thecompressed rear springs 33 will snap bar 24 forwardly from position e toposition a, which was the point of starting. As the impaled newspaper orthe like cannot follow the bar because of the position of the strippingplate I8, the needles on the bar will be withdrawn from engagement withthe newspaper A or the like and said paper permitted to gravitatethrough the frame and downwardly within the chute I3.

It has been determined through experiment that if any part of a foldednewspaper is engaged. and pushed upwardly when its fold is lowermost,'and the newspaper is in position against other newspapers in ahorizontal stack, -all parts of the engaged newspaper will move as onebody. Therefore it is not necessary for the needles to penetrate theentire thickness of the engaged newspaper in order to insure properdelivery. Consequently newspapers of different thicknesses can bedelivered without requiring adjustment. However, in order to insureagainst any failure should newspapers of considerable thickness beplaced in the magazine, one or more sets of needles of greater lengthcould be brought into position to engage the newspapers if so desired.It is for this reason that a second set of needles has been indicated at28.

If by any chance the newspaper to be dispensed should drag a secondnewspaper out of proper position back of flange I5, said secondnewspaper would be disposed back of the fingers I'I when relieved frompressure by the movement of the rst newspaper from position c toposition d. Thus it would be retained where it could be engaged anddelivered during the next operation of the apparatus.

In Fig. 2 the crank arms 2| have not been shown in their normalpositions but are in an intermediate position. `The point of starting ofthe cranks when bar 2d is at position a has been indicated generally atX and during the one complete rotation of the crank arms they will startat this point X and stop when they arrive at the same point.

What is claimed is:

l. In a dispensing apparatus the combination with a delivery chute, amagazine opening thereinto and a stop at the chute end of the magazine,

of means for pressing a stack of articles toward the stop to hold one ofthe articles against the stop, a bar extending transversely of themagazine, means on the bar for penetrating the article to be dispensedat a point in said article between the edges of the article, and meansfor moving the bar in an endless path to successively drive saidpenetrating means into the article to be dispensed, shift the bar todisengage the penetrated article from the stop, move the bar from themagazine and into the chute to convey the engaged article into thechute, and return the bar to its point of starting, said means includinga spring positioned to exert yielding pressure through the bar and thepenetrating means against the article to be dispensed while said articleis being disengaged from the stop.

2. In a dispensing apparatus the combination with a delivery chute, amagazine opening thereinto and a stop at the chute end of the magazine,of means for pressing a stack of articles toward the stop to hold one`of the articles against the stop, a bar extending transversely of themaga zine, means on the bar for penetrating the article to be dispensedat a point in said article betwe-en the edges of the article, means formoving the bar in an endless path to successively drive said penetratingmeans into the article to be dispensed, shift the bar to disengage thepenetrated article from the stop, move the bar from the magazine andinto the chute to convey the engaged article into the chute, and returnthe bar to its point of startingysaid means including a springpositioned to exert yielding pressure through the bar and thepenetrating means against the article to be dispensed while said articleis being disengaged from the stop, and a stripping device positioned inthe chute in the path of the engaged article.

3. In a dispensing machine the combination with a delivery chute, of amagazine opening thereinto for holding a series of articles to bedispensed, a stop at the chute end of the magazine, means for pressingsaid articles toward the stop, a fulcrum element pivotally mounted, a

frame movable longitudinally and transversely on and relative to saidfulcrum element and including a bar extended transversely of thearticles to be dispensed, a needle extending from the bar, means forsimultaneously rocking the frame and fulcrum element and reciprocatingthe frame longitudinally and transversely relative to the ful- Crumelement thereby to move the bar in an endless path within the chute tosuccessively drive the needle into one of said articles at a point beforrestraining said transverse movement of the frame.

4. In a dispensing apparatus the combination with a delivery chute, of amagazine opening thereinto, a stop at the chute end of the magazine, asupplemental catching device extending into the chute below the level ofthe top of the stop and spaced from and diverging upwardly from saidstop, yielding means for pressing the articles to be dispensed in thedirection of the stop, a frame, means for reciprocating and rocking theframe, said frame including a cross bar positioned for reciprocation andoscillation in the chute, and means carried by the bar for successivelypenetrating one of the articles to be dispensed, lifting said articleabove the stop, and conveying the article into the chute.

5. In a dispensing apparatus a magazine having an outlet end, a stop atsaid end, yielding means for automatically pressing toward the stop thearticles to be dispensed, a frame lmounted for up and down and back andforth reciprocation and simultaneous rocking, said frame including a barextended transversely of the articles to be 'dispensed, means on the barfor penetrating the article to be dispensed, means for actuating theframe to move the bar in an endless path and in a direction tosuccessively drive the penetrating means into one of said articles at apoint between the edges of the article, shift the penetrated articleaway from the stop, and convey the article through the outlet end of themagazine, and yielding means for restraining the back and forthreciprocation of the frame.

6. In a dispensing apparatus a magazine hav- 'mg an outlet end, a stopat said end, yielding means for automatically pressing toward the stopthe articles to be dispensed, a, frame mounted for up and down and backand forth reciprocation and simultaneous rocking, said frame including abar extended transversely of the articles to be dispensed, means on thebar for penetrating the article to be dispensed, and means for actuatingthe frame to move the bar in an endless path and in a direction tosuccessively drive the penetrating means into one of said articles at apoint between its edges, shift the penetrated article away from thestop, and convey the article through the outlet end of the magazine,normally tensioned opposed springs for restraining the black and forthreciprocation of the frame, and means supported in the path of thearticle being conveyed for stripping said article from the penetratingmeans while outside of the magazine and successively placing one of thesprings under compression and then releasing the same, thereby toaccelerate return of the penetrating means to article engaging position.

7. In a dispensing apparatus a magazine having an outlet end, a stop atsaid end, yielding means for automatically pressing toward the stop thearticles to be dispensed, a frame mounted for simultaneous reciprocationand oscillation, said frame including a bar extended transversely of thearticles to be dispensed, means on the bar for penetrating the articleto be dispensed, and means for actuating the frame to move the bar in anendless path and in a direction to successively drive the penetratingmeans into the article to be dispensed, shift the penetrated articleaway from the stop, and convey the article through the outlet end of themagazine, said frame operating means including .a rotatable crankengaging the frame, a yoke mounted for rocking movement, a guide blockcentered in the yoke and-slidably engaged by the frame, and opposedsprings in the yoke for holding the block normally centered in the yoke.i

LOUIS HATCHER. CREEL W. HATCHER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the 'lie ofthis patent:

Chesnut et al. Sept. 21, 1926

